Cheltenham Festival, Fridays Horseracing Tips, Gold Cup Day 2010

Carl Harris @ Cheltenham

Its Friday and it is the day we have all been waiting for, Kauto Star has his date with destiny as he looks to land a third Gold Cup. Paul Nicholls will hope for better than Master Minded who he hoped would land a third Champion Chase but it was not to be!

So it is the final day of four heavy days at Cheltenham and we will need to get a few quid. It has not been bad so far, but it could be better!

Here are your free horseracing tips for Friday, Cheltenham Gold Cup Day at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival.

This is my favourite day of the whole year!

1:30 Cheltenham JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1)

Last year Zaynar won the Triumph Hurdle and finished third in the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday. Is there anything of the quality of Zaynar here, well maybe.

Certainly there have been a few performances of note this season and I think that Super Kenny who won on Monday would have had a good chance had he gone for the Triumph Hurdle.

The Irish are flying at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival, they have a great chance with Carlito Brigante but I think this will be one that stays at home with it being fought out between Henderson and Nicholls.I was very taken with both Advisor and particularly Soldatino. Nicky Henderson is the best trainer of hurdlers in my view and I think yet another French import, Soldatino can win the Triumph Hurdle.

After his last win Nicky Henderson was quoted as saying;

“He’s only been with me for five weeks and I haven’t really galloped him. We were going on what we were told which was that he could be a bit wild so we decided to leave in the earplugs which were used on him in France.

If he comes on for that he will win and win well. Soldatino is my Triumph Hurdle bet and one I am heavily on.

Live game odds ( Chelt, 13:30 2m1f Nov Hrd ) by InrunningOdds.com

2:05 Cheltenham Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)

I am looking at this race initially before I see the declarations and if Qaspal runs he wins, I think it is as simple as that! He bolted up in the Imperial Cup and will win at £75k bonus if he were to complete the double.

McCoy is in great form at Cheltenham and despite the competitive nature of the County Hurdle ,Qaspal could make a mockery of the jandicap and win in the famous McManus colours.

Qaspal and McCoy

Live game odds ( Chelt, 14:05 2m1f Hcap Hrd ) by InrunningOdds.com

2:40 Cheltenham, Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)

This is a tough race to solve, usually. Weapons Amnesty proved in 2010 that his win in the race is 2009 is of a very high standard. Some very good horses have featured in this is recent times, the likes of Denman, Best Mate and Kicking King who went on to frank this as an important race.

The ability to travel, jump and finish well are key attributes if you are to win this race. So who will win the 2010 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle?

Enterprise Park is likely to go off the shortest of the irish horses and I think thatcould go well for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh. I also like the look of Restless Harry but the one that carries my money is Tell Massini. I think this is a proper horse, a really good one for the future. Tell Massini justified his cramped odds when bringing up his third straight victory under rules with an impressive victory in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, in December having previously won the Grade 2 Hyde Novices’ Hurdle at the same venue. he likes the course and has an oficial rating of 153, a very high class horse indeed.

I think with a break and natural progression Tell Massini can give Tom George a winner at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival.

Live game odds ( Chelt, 14:40 3m Nov Hrd ) by InrunningOdds.com

3:20 Cheltenham; Cheltenham Gold Cup (grade 1)

The big one. Kauto Star v Denman. The 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Of course Kauto Star will win a third Gold Cup if he prevails here, but we saw Master Minded fail and now all eyes are on Kauto Star.

I think regular readers of the website will know by now that this is a big one and that I am 100 per cent behind Kauto Star. There is no doubt that Kauto Star has the tallent and the class to win. So does Denman. Is he value, NO!

But it is about more than value. The win at Kempton in the King George was simply sensational. Any horse that can do that gets my vote. The weather has held off and I think that the ground will be perfect of Kauto Star. That for me was the only doubt. I think Denman will be second and I think Tricky Trickster will be third. Cooldine is the only one I see possibly breaking the Nicholls hold on the race.